Brassiere



April 1945- M. BERNS 7 2,373,095

BRASSIERE Filed July 25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 10, 1945. M. BERQS2,373,095

BRASSIERE Filed July 23, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Molly Berlzs PatentedApr. 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE I Molly Berns, NewYork, N. Y. Application July 22, 1943, Serial No. 495,879

,3 Claims.

standpoint of manufacture, and, which in' use,

provides "proper' and adequate support for the breasts in a comfortableand practical way whether the garment is used for beach or sportswear oras an ordinary undergarment. In that a piece of square or diamond shapedfabric folded to form two substantially triangular sections fitted withshoulderstraps and body ties so that when the garment is positioned onthebody, the erstwhile lower apices or free ends of the triangles may belifted and tied together to provide a pair of cupped supports for bothbreasts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brassire of"standardized ,shape or pattern, which for example, inmost cases, may bederived from handkerchiefs or scarfs' of different size. That is to say,stock sizes Ofhandkerchiefs or scarfs may be used as the basis forgarments of different size, thereby to provide small, medium, and largegarmentsto suit different profiles and bust sizes within the rangeusually recognized in the industry.

With the'above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists inthe novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base material before folding. constitutingthe brassiere.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the material shown in Fig. 1 foldeddiagonally to produce two substantially triangular layers or sections ofmate- Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view showing the garment as it wouldbe applied to the body with connection the invention fundamentallyinvolvesbetter illustrate the beginning of the cup forming operation.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the secondstep in the formation of 5 the cups, namely, the pulling upward of theapices referred to in connection with Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the laststep of tying the apices of the folded sections into a knot to form thebreast supporting cups.

Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of the garment as it appears in Fig.8.

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section taken at the position of the knot inFig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of'a piece of basematerial of diamond shape form.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings. w

As will be observed from the drawings, the piece of material from whichthe body of the brassiere is made is designated generally as A. In Fig.1 this material is shown to be square. However, as will be observed fromFig. 11 the original stock material may be of diamond shape for--mation, as indicated at A. While it is preferred to utilize a singlepiece of material which is to be folded diagonally, nevertheless,

it will of course be understood that it is within the purview of theinvention to utilize a pair of triangular sections which may be sewed orstitched together to form a single piece of stock material.

Assuming that a square piece of material A is used, as shown in Fig. 1,the same is folded along the line B to provide front and rear triangularsections which. as will be apparent from Fig. 2, are brought intosubstantially registerin relation, when folded.

With the material folded as shown in Fig. 2 and with the fold lineuppermost so that the triangular tips or apices la and 2a are pointeddownwardly, the folded material is provided with suitable means forsupporting it on the body. As will be apparent from Figs. 3 to 10inclusive, the body of the brassire may be provided with the shoulderstraps 3-3 which may be secured at one end, as indicated at 4, to thefolded portion of the material inwardly of the lateral ends thereof butoutwardly of the vertical center line of the registering triangularsections. The 0pposite ends 5 of theshoulder straps 3 are secured to theopposite corners of the triangular the apices of the triangular sectionsseparated to sections, as will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 5.

It will, of course, be understood that the shoulder straps 3 may be madeof tape, ribbon, or elastic material, and although shown in the drawingsas being of one piece, it will of course be understood that the saidstraps 3 may be made in two pieces so as to have the inner meeting endstied into a bow knot.

The opposite corners of the triangular sections l and 2 are alsoprovided with the body tie elements ii- .6 which may be :also made inlone piece and of lasticmalterial, if desired. Inthe embodiment shownthe opposite corners I are shown as turned back upon themselves andstitched to provide a fastening ground for the ends 5 of the shoulderstraps and the body ties 6. It may also be pointed out that itis withinthe scope of the invention to Ymake .the .turned in corners l of thetriangular sections 'in the form of a loop so that the ends 5 of theshoulder straps and the bodytie B may be made in .one piece and slidethrough'the 'loop. .In'fact, any type of body supportingmeanswllknown'in the artmay be used to support the triangular registeringsections I and '2 'inposition across both breasts.

After the garment-is applied to the-body with ithe aid of the shoulderstraps 3 and body'tiesB, -as indicated in Fig. 6, the .apices la andZaof the sections I and '2 point downwardly and the wearer can thenmanipulatesaid'apices so asto pull both of them upwardly above'thefold'line of the triangular .sections, as shown in "Fig. "7. Theeffect of thus .positioningthe apiices Iaand 2a of the triangularsectionsis 'to'bring aportion of the outer-section "l upwardly and alsobring the inner portion of the "inner portion .upwardly. When the.points or apices Ia and T211 are-in the position shown 'inFigI'Z,theymay'be tied in a knot designated generally as 'K "in Fig. 8. By thustying the two sections'together each of them will properly .drape abouteach breast and form the desirable supporting cups illustrated in Figss8and 9.

Fig. Saillustrates amodiflcation wherein the In Fig. 11 the-diamondshaped ,vpiece of.stok material will be folded-to provide theregistering sections lb and 2b.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that .a distinctive feature ofthe invention resides in providing a piece of stock material whichmay befolded so as to have its medial dimension greater than the opposite endsor corners, and, which, when supported on the body in a position to spanboth breasts, may be manipulated in the manner shown to provide thenecessary cupped supports. It will of course be understood that any typeof material may be used, such for example as handkerchief stock and thequality of the material will of course vary with ithegiart'icular use towhidh the device is intendedtio be put.

I claim:

1. A brassire comprising a single piece of iflexible sheet materialfolded upon itself along a straight line to provide free inner and outersu'p'erimposed layers, and means connected to .saidsheetrat .the ends ofthe fold line thereof forfastening it'with its fold line disposed above.ztheibreasts and its inner and outer layers depending from its foldline and overlying the brea"st's,the said inner 'and outeriayersbeing ofsubstantially equilateral triangular shape with their bases comprised bythe fold lin'e whereby "they are'adapted to be'turned inwardlyand'upwardly and outwardlyandtupwa'rdly, respectivelygan'd to be tiedtogether ab'ovethe fold 'line "to provide "breast accommodating andsupporting pockets.

2. A brassiere comprising .a "single piece of flexible sheet'm'aterial'of-sub'st'antia';1lyrectangu- 'larshapefoldedupon itself along "astraight diagonal line extending between fopp'osite corners thereoftoproVidefreefinher and outer superim- 'posed layers of substantiallyequilateral triangular "shape with their "bases comprised .by the foldline, and means connected to :said opposite 'corners'of 'saidsheetforfastening the sheet with its fold linedisp'osed'above the breasts andits inner "and outer layers .iiependin'gi'fromsaid ifold line and"overlying the *breasts to be turned inwar'dly "and -upwardly andoutwardly and upwardly, respectively, and to "be "tied together :abovethe fold line to provide breast accommodating and supporting pockets.

"3. A brassiere icomprising fa single lpiec'e Lo'f flexible sheetmaterial folded upon itself along a straight line'to provide freeinner.and outer superimposed layers, and .means :connected to said'sheeta't theends ofthe'fold linethereof lfor "fastening it'with itsfoldlirredisp'osed above "the '"bre'as't's and its inner and outerlayers depending fffro'm its'fold "line and overlying thebreasts, ..thesaid inner "and outer "layers being of greater depth medially than attheir ends and fbeing adapted .to be turned inwardly and upwardly andoutwardly 'and'upwardly, respectively, .and tied together above-thefoldline torprovide'b'reast accommodating 'an'dsupporting pockets.

IMOILY'BERN'S.

